WORKING DEFINITIONS

SLO Terminology

Broad Terminology

Institutional Learning Outcome (formerly Core Competencies)

A broad, institutional-level outcome statement which describes what students are able
to do at the end of their experience at the college. Core competencies will serve
as “folders” or “categories” under which course- and program-level learning outcomes
are organized and might not necessarily be assessed directly.

Course-Level SLO

What the student will be able to produce at the end of a course. This is the lowest
level at which SLOs are usually assessed. Writing a course-level SLO involves considering
the overarching goals of the respective course, matching these goals with a particular
assessment method, and articulating these overarching goals in an SLO statement.
Courses may have multiple SLOs.

Course Objective

A statement of what the students are expected to know or learn by the end of a course.
These differ from SLOs in many ways:

they often focus on what the instructor does rather than what the student will be
able to do (i.e. input rather than output);

they are often content-based and not necessarily competency-based

they are often not measurable or assessable

Program

A set of courses which culminates in a degree, certificate, or preparation for degree
or certificate

Program-Level SLO

What the student will be able to produce at the end of a program. This is the middle
level at which SLOs are usually assessed. Writing a program-level SLO involves considering
the overarching missions of the respective program, matching these missions to courses
in the program, and coming up with a cumulative assessment which may or may not be
the same as a course-level assessment. Program-level SLOs, like core competencies,
may also serve as “folders” or “categories” under which course-level SLOs are assessed;
thus, program-level SLOs may or may not be directly assessed. For student services,
which has many modes of learning which cannot necessarily be readily divided into
discreet units like courses can, this is the most common level at which SLOs are written
and assessed.

Student Learning Outcome (SLO)

What students are expected to produce by the end of a course, program, college experience,
degree or certificate program, or set of interactions with student services. SLOs
involve higher order thinking skills and are measurable. A robust SLO includes the
following three elements:

Context or conditions under which performance will be assessed (e.g. test, essay,
demonstration, class discussion, etc.)

Thus, an SLO suggests an appropriate assessment and rubric for measuring the outcome.

Student Learning Outcomes Assessment Cycle

The process by which SLOs are identified, measured and analyzed, and the results used
to improve student learning. The three steps in the cycle are:

· Identify: Faculty meet and work together in identifying what the students should produce at
the end of a set of learning experiences (be it at the course or program level).
An SLO is then drafted, and an assessment plan written, which states what the assessment
will be (i.e. how the SLO will be measured), and what the rubric will be (i.e. which
standards will be used to determine attainment of the outcome.)

· Assess: The semester following the identification of the SLO(s) and drafting of the assessment
plan, the proposed assessment is then run and the data collected.

· Reflect: In the third semester of the cycle, the data is compiled and the faculty come together
again to discuss the results. This dialogue should include a discussion about the
meaning of the results and how they can be used to improve student learning.

Processes Involved in SLO Development

Assessment

In simplest terms, assessment is the systematic collection and analysis of information
to improve student learning. However, “assessment is not an end in itself but a vehicle
for educational

improvement" (AAHE, 1992). The purpose of assessment is not merely to gather information;
the purpose of assessment is to foster improvement.

Assessment is an ongoing process aimed at understanding and improving student learning.
It involves making our expectations explicit and public; setting appropriate criteria
and high standards for learning quality; systematically gathering, analyzing, and
interpreting evidence to determine how well performance matches those expectations
and standards; and using the resulting information to document, explain, and improve
performance. When it is embedded effectively within larger institutional systems,
assessment can help us focus our collective attention, examine our assumptions, and
create a shared academic culture dedicated to assuring and improving the quality of
higher education (Angelo, AAHE Bulletin, November 1995, p. 7).

Assessment Instrument

The evidence of learning that the student will produce (e.g. test, essay, portfolio,
demonstration) and which will be evaluated by faculty associated with a particular
program with respect to a rubric.

Assessment Plan

A plan written in the first step of the cycle (identify) in which faculty draft an SLO for a course or program, outline how it will be assessed,
and state how the resulting data will be used to improve student learning.

Dialogue

A group discussion among colleagues, often facilitated, which is designed to explore
complex issues, greater group intelligence and facilitate group learning (ACCJC Standards
Glossary). Dialogue is an essential process in SLO development.

Norming

A process in which faculty come to an agreement about how the rubric will be used
and standards applied to evaluate assessments. The purpose is to avoid inter-rater
error (i.e. large differences from evaluator to evaluator in how assessments are scored).

Pilot

A small-scale trial of an assessment instrument to test its validity and usability
before the full-scale assessment is run.

Program Review

An analysis of a program’s performance with respect to particular indicators, including
student learning outcomes. SLOs are a natural fit in program reviews because for
both, the goal is improvement (of student learning).

Rubric

A set of primary traits and guidelines for scoring and evaluating each assessment
as agreed upon by a particular faculty group. A rubric makes explicit and specific
statements about the expected qualities of performance at each point in the scale
and for each primary trait or standard being evaluated. Rubrics help ensure consistency
among raters (Oxnard College SLO Handbook, 2006).

Types of Assessment

Classroom Assessment

Simple, non-graded, anonymous, in-class activities that help instructors gather feedback
from students on the teaching-learning process and determine how well their students
are learning what they are being taught. The purpose of classroom assessment is to
provide faculty and students with information and insights needed to improve teaching
effectiveness and learning quality. College instructors use feedback gleaned through
Classroom Assessment to inform adjustments in their teaching. Faculty also share feedback
with students, using it to help them improve their learning strategies and study habits
in order to become more independent, successful learners (Angelo, T.A., 1991; see
also Classroom Assessment Techniques (2nd ed.) by Angelo and Cross, 1993). Classroom
assessment is a type of formative evaluation (see below).

Embedded Assessment

Collecting assessment data information within the classroom because of the opportunity
it provides to use already in-place assignments and coursework for assessment purposes.
This involves taking a second look at materials generated in the classroom so that,
in addition to providing a basis for grading students, these materials allow faculty
to evaluate their approaches to instruction and course design. These assessments can
be a part of the student’s grade, but do not have to be (Oxnard College SLO Handbook,
2006).

Pre-Test/Post-Test

An assessment technique in which students are given an assessment at the beginning
of the semester on material to be covered in the course to provide a baseline (pre-test).
Then, students are given the same or a similar assessment at the end of the semester
(post-test). This is a particularly valid way to show learning in a course because
prior knowledge is established through the pre-test; then it’s possible to show learning
that took place in the course itself (rather than some other course or prior knowledge)
through comparing the pre- and post-test results.

Portfolio

A collection of student work to show not only learning outcomes but also the progress
or process of learning. Portfolios may be used not only as a course-level assessment
but also at the program-level to show learning progress throughout a whole program.

Types of Evidence

Direct Evidence

Evidence that shows directly that a student has learned. Examples of direct evidence
include essays, tests, portfolios, or demonstrations. Simply stated, direct evidence
is produced by students.

Indirect Evidence

Evidence that shows student learning indirectly, through which student learning can
be inferred rather than directly demonstrated. Examples of indirect evidence are
course grades, transfer and retention data, surveys, exit interviews, etc.

Formative Evaluation

Evaluation for the purpose of improvement. Formative evaluation usually takes place continually throughout a lesson module, course, or program.

Summative Evaluation

Evaluation that is used to show learner achievement. Summative evaluation usually takes place at the end of a lesson module, course, or program. Formative and summative evaluation should
be used to complement each other.

Qualitative Evidence/Data

Data/evidence that is narrative or descriptive in form. Qualitative evidence usually
involves fewer cases than quantitative data, but shows much more specific information
and tends to be very subjective.

Quantitative Evidence/Data

Data/evidence that is numerical in form. Quantitative evidence usually involves a
great number of cases and is used to show general patterns and trends rather than
specifics. It tends to be much more objective.